The Season Is Not Over For Hearty Golfers

The Payson Men's Golf Association season officially wrapped up a month ago, but members still haven't hung up their clubs for the winter.

Play is continuing at Payson Golf Course with locals participating in pick-up tournaments beginning at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of course, that's weather permitting.

The turnouts for the informal tournaments have varied from 12 to 24 players.

Players don't have to be PMGA members to participate in the shoots --the organization has issued an invitation for non-members to join in on the fun.

The best way for first-timers to get involved is to show up at the first tee about 9 a.m. on play days. Then introduce yourself to the PMGA members who are usually mulling around the first tee and they'll get you started.

First ace

Pick-up tournaments can yield their fair share of rewards as evidenced by the hole-in-one recorded by Syd Gee during Monday's play. Gee swatted the ace on the 143-yard fifth hole using an 8-iron.

For Gee -- a two-year resident of Payson who works part time in the PGC clubhouse -- the ace was his first in over 50 years of playing golf.

Go fish

Some hot tips for fishing Roosevelt Lake by tournament anglers:

All-Star Bass sponsored a team invitational at the lake last weekend which was won by a pair of Southern Arizona anglers -- Mark Paris of Tucson and Benson resident Daren Lakosky.

In catching a six-fish limit of 13.78 pounds which included the tournament's big fish (10.11), the pair used a combination of spinnerbaits, spoons and double-back worms in the Porter Springs area of Roosevelt. They also fished off points near the dam.

The big bass was caught on a Zona Bass Spoon near Bass Island in 33 feet of water.

Another pair of prize-winning anglers used a variety of crankbaits and spinnerbaits off Salome Cove and the north shore of the Salt River arm. They fished in less that eight feet of water. A Rapala Fat Rap hooked a 4.06 pounder.

Other participants had success using spinnerbaits off the rocky shores north of Windy Hill and also on the north shore of the Tonto Creek arm in three to five feet of water.

More fishing

A few Rim country trout-fishing enthusiasts continue to visit the Mogollon Rim lakes. However, visitors should keep in mind that winter conditions are in effect and ice is occurring on some of the lakes. During these early stages of icing, consider surfaces very unstable and unsafe to walk on. Arizona Game and Fish officer Rory Aikens says his office has received no recent reports concerning fishing conditions at the Rim lakes.

If you have a report, the AGF Pinetop office would like to hear from you. Call (520) 367-4281.